Wednesday, March 02, 2005

SURPRISE! SURPRISE!! LEADERSHIP AT ITS BEST IN KENYA!!!

Yesterday evening l watched in total awe as the KWS CEO Dr Julius Kipng'etich was talking to Louis on Newsline, a current affais talk show. I was besides myself at the display of character that came across from this dr.

If you ask me, Dr Julius should offer his time to schools that offer both BA and MBA. They will gain from his experience. This man displayed genuine interest in his job. The guy came into office no more than a year ago and yet he knows KWS like the back of his hand. He knows the weak links and admits to them and then tells you how he is countering them. He knows all the parks and the security guards. He refuses to be drawn into territorial fights about who did what before that was not right. He refuses to character assasinate anyone.

Dr Julius reminded me of Senator Hillary Clinton who is an excellent lawyer. If you have watched Senator Hillary get interviewed you will notice that she has a slicy way of getting around trick questions. She gives you an intelligent answer that later in hindsight you realize she expanded your knowledge on the very question you asked, yet didn't get drawn into unnecessary fights.

Dr Kipng'etich is the right person for that job. And it is true. He doesn't have to have been in Wildlife to make that place start glittering. This man knows his job and what is expected of him. If the Kibaki government could apply the approach this gentleman has to all the parastatals, believe me we can experience turn arounds.

It is unbelievable how CEOs refuse to be questioned by the very people they lead.The very people who help them achieve what they are supposed to be. After that interview l couldn't help but think about how he got all this info so right. But, It finally came to me. There are two angles.First, This CEO believes in teamwork. He got his briefings from the heads of these departments. And they must be good because they anticipated every question that Louis would ask, OR; Secondly, this CEO reads and reads and reads. Why? because he knows everything there is to know about KWS and some more. Plus he doesn't shy away from questions.

Kenyan CEOs and Politicians should purchase that tape and learn a thing or two on fielding questions from journalists. They will learn that defending yourself in the presence of blantant evidence of your errors makes you look bad. They will also learn about body language. That interview spoke volumes about the excellence this man was and has been living up to. It was only a matter of time before his meticulous efforts came to fore.

When all was said and done l remembered Igor Sikorsky's quote, “The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind forward.”

4 comments:

M said...

If only such people ran for public office instead of the clowns running things now!

Unknown said...

Starehe damu!!!(no points for guessing if im a caltex alumni as well)
Ive met this guy in person..and believe the hype..Well connected and knows how to communicate.
Pity he was doing the Investment promotion centre well before his appointment..Bigger better things i guess..

I miss those kenyan Talk shows!!! up close and candids my fav

karoki said...

maybe the guy is simply diplomatic or he may have been cut from a different cloth

bankelele said...

I attended, and wrote about, a talk he gave at a private sector forum. the man is brilliant, and should be the head of the civil service, at the very least.